Varsity Hockey: Young, Competitive Team Returns to Hartong Ice

After a season full of interruptions, postponements, and cancelations brought upon by the global pandemic, the Brunswick hockey team is set to return to a normal and competitive slate of NEPSAC games in 2021-2022. 

Despite graduating nine seniors and losing two Division I commitments to the USHL, the Bruins are determined to earn yet another post-season tournament berth this winter — just as they’ve done in four of the last five playoff years. 

Junior co-captains Hank Cleaves and James Shannon will lead the way up front, where they’ll be joined by a host of returnees and newcomers — including fellow junior and Yale commit Eli Friedman, along with classmates Danny Hu and Hunter Spiess. A strong sophomore class that features Brendan Giles, Sean Gibbons, Luke Drury, and Drew DellaSalla will look to make significant offensive contributions.  

On the blueline, alternate captains John Burdett and Maxime Sauvé — the only two seniors on the roster — will be defensive mainstays for the Bruins. Juniors Niko Cadoret, Collin Eschricht, Sloan Farmer, and Lucas St. Louis (a Harvard commit) will also log serious minutes of action.  

Juniors Brendan Holahan and Will Baker will both be called upon in between the pipes to give ’Wick a chance to win every time it takes the ice.

The Bruins will kick off their 32-game regular season at Loomis Chaffee on Thursday, December 2 — and will enjoy a four-week homestand during January and February, when they’ll play 10 consecutive contests at Hartong Rink.